“From CSO” – Newsletter – October 31, 2018

Thanks for reading another edition of the CSO Newsletter Members Only Section. Please see the below Members Only announcements.

Updates on CNMI and Super Typhoon Yutu:

I know that I speak for the extended CSO family in sharing our thoughts and concerns for all of those impacted by Super Typhoon Yutu, especially those in the Northern Marianna Islands (CNMI). More specifically, I’d like to report to the CSO family that I have been in contact with CNMI CSO Delegate Janice Castro. The good news is that all CZM staff are safe, but many of their homes are significantly damaged. Those CZM staff that are able have returned to work and are assisting recovery efforts, including distributing water and helping with debris monitoring. We will report out to the CSO family as we hear more from CNMI and appreciate the inquiries and concern to this point. Also, there is a CNMI Joint Information Center Facebook Page here for more general information and updates.

Fall Meeting Follow Up Items:

It was great to see many of you for a very constructive and productive CSO Fall Meeting in Providence, RI. Please note that speaker presentations and other follow up materials are being posted on the CSO members only website.

CSO Work Group Updates:

Please note that each CSO Work group now has a dedicated page in the CSO Members Only website with up to date information.

Coastal Nonpoint Work Group: November is a busy month for the coastal nonpoint work group. Our bi-monthly CNPS Work Group call will be held on Monday, November 19th at 2 pm, and our monthly conditionally approved state call will be held on Tuesday, November 27th at 3 pm. More information on the agendas for both meetings is coming soon. If you have any questions, contact Bridget Faust at bfaust@coastalstates.org.

Coastal Hazards Planning and Adaptation Work Group: Driven by the interests of the Coastal Hazards Planning & Adaptation Work Group, Bridget Cotti-Rausch is working with several CZM programs and their partners to create a series of Peer-to-Peer Knowledge Exchange webinars. The first two webinars will focus on: 1) states working to create model ordinance language for wetlands protection, and 2) beneficial use of dredged materials for habitat restoration projects. These webinars will be publicized to the full membership and conducted before the holidays take over our calendars.

On the first webinar, we will learn about the progress and challenges of Indiana’s ongoing 309 strategy to develop model wetland protections ordinances, as well as work in Wisconsin to understand and address the relationship between wetlands and flood hazards. The webinar will occur on November 29th during the regularly scheduled Work Group time (3:30 – 4:30ET) and will feature contributors from Indiana and Wisconsin’s CZM programs and the non-profit Wisconsin Wetlands Association. All members welcome!

Communications Work Group: The Communications Work Group met and discussed the Extreme Weather Fact Sheet. With the major events of 2017 and 2018, the Fact Sheet is due for an update. The fact sheet is also being reviewed by the Coastal Hazards Planning & Adaptation Work Group as we look to them for help collecting success stories. Inter-Work Group communication is key to unified messaging.

Reminder – if your program uses social media – Please follow the CSO pages and re-share, retweet, repost our posts. We post items that benefit the overall CZM community and need your help to ensure that we reach as large of an audience as possible. We thank you in advance for your assistance.

Coastal management programs and research reserves often juggle planning for projects, searching for funding, engaging with stakeholders, working on climate preparedness efforts and more, all at the same time. Knowing which FEMA and NOAA resources to use can feel complicated and overwhelming. The three-part webinar series on Maximizing Your Resilience Potential will help coastal staff understand the benefits of working with FEMA and NOAA on mutual resilience goals, identify who to contact in your state, and answer specific questions about accessing funding.

In Part 3, participants can bring specific questions about FEMA funding programs and the application process, and get answers from FEMA funding experts. Coastal program and reserve colleagues will share their experiences navigating the funding process. By the end of this webinar, participants will know how to take advantage of hazard mitigation funding to support their local resilience efforts. Register now!

Coastal Barrier Resources System : Important Updates for Accessing the Most Up-to-Date Information from the FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer

Beginning later this year, FEMA will no longer show Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) information on static Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) because the CBRS and FIRMs data were updated on different schedules that could not be synced. Instead FIRM users will be directed to the National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) which will access real-time CBRS data, thereby, providing the most up-to-date information. This change is important because users are accustomed to consulting FIRMs for the CBRS information. Residences, businesses, and other types of development in CBRS areas are ineligible for most new Federal expenditures and financial assistance, including National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage. This presentation will provide a brief introduction to CBRS areas, outline FEMA’s coordination/cooperation with the USFWS, and explain what users can expect once the change is implemented. The USFWS will also discuss the recent release of an on-line “CBRS Validation Tool” which allows users to create their own CBRS documentation that indicates whether a specific property is inside or outside of the CBRS and the prohibition date for eligibility to NFIP coverage.

Paul Comlish, Program Specialist, US Fish and Wildfire Service (USFWS)

2019 EPA-CSO Knauss Fellow Bio:

Justine Lundsted is originally from Pennsylvania but pursued her childhood dream of becoming a marine scientist in South Carolina. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Marine Science with minors in Biology and Spanish at Coastal Carolina University. Subsequently, Justine began a joint Peace Corps Masters International and Master of Science in Environmental Studies program at College of Charleston. The program consisted of one year of courses on campus and 27 months of Peace Corps service abroad. Justine served in the Philippines where she worked as a Coastal Resource Management Advisor for the local government unit. Her work consisted of evaluating marine protected area effectiveness, conducting socio-economic assessments, and assessing coastal ecosystem health. Upon finishing her Peace Corps service, Justine applied for the Knauss Fellowship and completed her master’s degree. She is currently working on publishing her thesis research and preparing for the next year’s adventures.

Other Updates:

3D National Elevation Requirements and Benefits Study – Request from NOAA and USGS

NOAA and USGS have reached out to CSO to request input from CSO members on elevation data needs/requirements, benefits associated with meeting those requirements, and information on how you use elevation data in your activities/responsibilities. The 3D National Elevation Requirements and Benefits Study, which builds on the 2011 National Enhanced Elevation Assessment (NEEA), will result in recommendations to support stakeholder-driven initiatives of both the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and the Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IWG-OCM). To participate, please click here for the 3D Nation Study questionnaire. For more information, see the project webpage and the invitation, fact sheet, and webinar flyer shared with CSO.